Mission Statement

The mission of the Sociology Department is to assist students in learning to "think sociologically" in order to define, analyze and understand human behavior. Specifically, preparation in the Sociology major will:

Contribute to a complete education by improving the student's appreciation of the role of society in forming the individual. This involves understanding and unraveling the complexities of social life; learning methods appropriate for analyzing social reality; and being able to go beyond common sense to describe and explain classes of social behavior and the connections among them.

Educate the student for world citizenship. This requires an enlarged (broad) knowledge of culture and society and an appreciation of the meanings of human diversity. an improved tolerance of diversity and willingness to contribute to individual and community well-being are outputs of this process.

Provide education for a productive life. This involves the development of specific skills necessary for the pursuit of careers and professional opportunities, including graduate school. they include communication skills; team work and team building skills; critical thinking skills; problem solving skills; data gathering and analyzing skills; computer skills; as well as the following qualities; flexibility, adaptability and creativity; global awareness; and ethical behavior.

Educate for a love of learning by providing contact with faculty role models who will demonstrate that learning is a life-long process which sustains interest in community and society, and is consistently rewarding. This mission leads to the Department's goals and objectives.